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December 17, 2006

The USB Gold Cablescam

I guess the electronics big box stores think we're walking around in a fog. Yesterday at Staples I bought a HP Photosmart D5160 for $59.95 after a special store instant savings of $40. I am hoping to use it to print directly onto to printable DVDs. I did not buy the suggested USB cable because I knew that I had one at our other house. I thought I would sneak one from another device until I had time to pick the spare one up.

Today I had some time at lunch between my real estate classes so I decided to go into Best Buy and maybe buy a cable instead of waiting. It seems that the only USB cables that the Wilmington, NC store is stocking are the "Best Buy Gold Plated" USB cables. The cheapest USB printer cable was $34.95. I guess I could imagine that they were out of all the inexpensive USB cables, but I did not see any spaces for cables that had sold out.

I don't know of any study that demonstrates that gold plated USB cables do anything but add extra profit to the big box store bottom lines. I actually went over to Staples to check their prices. They had one $17.95 cable in damaged packaging and the rest of their cables were $24.95 gold plated ones.

I guess they all think we are gold plated fools. It's bad enough we are carried to the cleaners on ink jet ink but why add insult to injury and sell cables at a ridiculous price. I thought going to USB was going to bring cable prices down since they would all be standard. I have had USB cables since USB was introduced on the iMac. I have yet to have one of my USB cables go bad.

I couldn't face Walmart on a Sunday afternoon, or I would have checked their prices also. Hopefully theirs are more reasonable.

I'm glad I have an extra cable at home. Buying a $34.95 USB cable is just ridiculous. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with 123inkjets. From them one USB printer cable, 10 feet long, complete with shipping is $11.90. I would guess they're also making some money on their cables, just not hand over fist like Best Buy.

Comments

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Anyway, I love Provantage.com. They have the best prices, stock everything and ship rapidly. I buy from other shops online when I have to, but buy from Provantage.com whenever I can.